The research project ‘planning of intermodal container terminals with simulation and operations research’ takes place in cooperation with the Mindener Hafen GmbH and is a subproject of the research cluster ‘harbour cluster at the Mittellandkanal’ within the competition ‘Logistik.NRW’ founded by the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry for Economy, Energy, Building and Traffic and co-founded by the operational program ‘Regionale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Beschäftigung’ of the European Founds for Regional Development (EFRE).

Intermodal freight handling between road and rail is one of the main modes of transport. The intersection between high-frequency but low-capacity operating truck-based cargo transport and the low-frequency but high-capacity acting rail freight services give rise to storage in transit. Dwell time of cargo units is the key influencing capacitive factor beside limitations of design, technical equipment and transport connections. Due to rising customer variety and soaring relations of loading equipment operation become more and more inhomogeneous. Analytical techniques are overextended to describe the characteristics, even if the data base of material flow is profound and the essential influencing factors are well known. Using the vast stochastic capabilities of Enterprise Dynamics appeared promising to reproduce that volatile system performance within a simulation model.

About 25 scientists research, work and teach at the Institute of Transport Logistics (ITL), in the fields of traffic and transportation logistics, distribution logistics and logistics management. The scientists of ITL develop customized solutions as well as innovative scientific approaches for logistics practice, with focus on the optimization of logistics nodes (forwarding agencies and KEP-terminals, container terminals, distribution centers, cross docks). Simulation thereby is an important method.